


Miss Missing You

by prolixology



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Peter Parker, Background Relationships, But it could be anyone there, Coming Out, Gen, M/M, Parent Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart, background tony stark/stephen strange - Freeform, dad talks with tony stark, literally his name is just mentioned, so if you want it to be anyone else go wild
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 01:06:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17736116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prolixology/pseuds/prolixology
Summary: “I don’t miss him, well maybe a little and I still think he’s really cute and his smile is still amazing but I really think I’m over him at least I hope I am but sometimes I just miss that.” Peter said, tripping from one word to the next rapidly, as if falling down a flight of stairs.Tony paused, sitting back in his rolling lab chair and twirling his thumbs in his lap. “Miss what, kiddo?”“I- I miss that feeling. Like, the feeling of liking someone. Feeling something so hard and so big and so real. And now that I’m over it, I just feel empty. It’s like I felt so much for him so fast then it faded until I didn’t even realize it was gone but when I did realize, the numbness just- just hit me.”Or Peter gets relationship/life advice





	Miss Missing You

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Miss Missing You by Fall Out Boy

“Mister Stark?”

Tony immediately looked over at Peter, who was staring intently at the Starkphone he had been working on since that morning, and frowned. Peter has been suspiciously quiet all afternoon, and now Tony was especially worried. “What’s wrong, _bambino_?”

 Peter looked up sheepishly, barely meeting Tony’s eyes, then went back to looking at his work. “Never mind, it’s no big deal.”

“Kid, you’ve been quiet all afternoon, I can practically hear the gears turning in that brain of yours, and you called me Mister Stark, and I pretty sure we’re well past that. That sounds like a big deal to me.”

The kid stared harder at his project, but his eyes were distant. “It’s just,” Peter sighed, setting down the tools, and looking up as if pondering how to phrase his next words. “It’s just that, you know how I really liked Harry?”

Tony nodded and waited for the kid to continue. Peter’s crush on none other than Harry Osborn has been a shock to Tony, to say the least, but Peter was a good judge of character, so he trusted his judgement. However, when Peter learned that Harry had a gotten a girlfriend, and really only dated her for looks, he got over him pretty quickly, or so Tony thought.

“I don’t miss him, well maybe a little and I still think he’s really cute and his smile is still amazing but I really think I’m over him at least I hope I am but sometimes I just miss that.” Peter said, tripping from one word to the next rapidly, as if falling down a flight of stairs.

Tony paused, sitting back in his rolling lab chair and twirling his thumbs in his lap. “Miss what, kiddo?”

“I- I miss that feeling. Like, the feeling of liking someone. Feeling something so hard and so big and so real. And now that I’m over it, I just feel empty. It’s like I felt so much for him so fast then it faded until I didn’t even realize it was gone but when I did realize, the numbness just- just hit me.” Peter wasn’t looking at him; instead, he staring at the wall behind him, his eyes glassy and distant.

Tony wheeled over to him and gently took one of his hands, letting Peter reground himself. “You feel that feeling again, _bambino._  You just gotta give yourself time.”

“But what if I don’t?” the boy whispered, almost inaudibly.

“Don’t focus on the ‘what if’s.”

Peter looked at him. “I’m a scientist. That’s my job.”

Tony almost grinned, but the look shrouding Peter’s face kept the mood somber. “Yeah, in technology and things we can solve. Emotions aren’t that easy buddy. Trust me, I learned that the hard way. You can’t force other people to feel things and you can’t force yourself. Don’t try to force yourself.” Tony looked at him. “But I’m sure you’ll find someone crazy about you who will want to spend time with you, go out with you, cuddle with you, get married and be excited for the honeymoon.” Tony wiggled an eyebrow suggestively.

Peter’s breath hitched. “But I don’t want that.”

Tony’s eyebrows furrowed. “But- what do you mean?”

“I mean most of that sounds great but I don’t want _that.”_ He said, his face recoiling in disgust.

“You gotta be more specific than that, kiddo.”

“Sex.”

“Oh.”

A pause. “Then you’ll find someone who’s crazy about you and excited for the honeymoon because it means going on vacation with you and probably extra cuddles.”

Peter’s face shot up. “You don’t think there’s something wrong with me?”

Tony’s eyes softened. “Of course not, _bambino._ You’re still amazing, regardless of whether or not you want to have sex. Also, I don’t have to worry about you getting any STD’s which is a plus.”

Peter huffed the tiniest laugh, but Tony was eager to still take it. He quieted again. “But don’t all relationships need sex?”

“Of course not.”

“Are you just lying to me to make me feel better?”

“No.” Peter raised an eyebrow, as if demanding him to prove it. “This is gonna gross you out, but Stephen and I love having sex. It’s fun, it’s a good stress relief, and we get to be close to one another.” Peter frowned, opening his mouth to respond, but promptly closing it when Tony held up one finger. “But, if Stephen told me tomorrow that he didn’t want to have sex ever again but still wanted to be with me then we’d still be okay. Still be more than okay, actually. We’d still love each other just as much and spend just as much time together, but just not be having sex.”

 “But you guys wouldn’t have as strong of a bond.” Peter said, still skeptical.

“Pete, nothing could change the bond Stephen and I have. So maybe we wouldn’t spend as much time naked together. But we would still spend time talking and cuddling and bonding in other ways. Sex and intimacy aren’t always the same thing, you know? I’ve know people more personally just from talking than I ever did with most of the people I’ve had sex with.” Tony looked at Peter meaningfully. “And what I said about forcing yourself still stands. You can’t force yourself to want something you don’t, whether it be a relationship or sex. If you change your mind and suddenly want it, great. If not, great. But you can’t force yourself to go one way or another.”

Peter looked at Tony, his expression looking less depressed than before, but Tony could tell he was still holding something back. Tony sighed softly. “Bring it in, kid. We’re there.” 

The kid practically launched himself out of his chair, landing on Tony’s lap and burying his face in his chest while clinging on like a koala. ‘Or a spider monkey’ Tony thought and chuckled to himself as he carefully wrapped his arms around him and buried his nose into the messy mass of soft brown curls in front of him, taking a soft whiff and smelling home, smelling Peter. His kid.

“Love you, Dad.” 

Tony froze. Dad? He didn’t deserve that title, he was going to screw it up, he-

“I’m so happy to have you in my life. You’re the best mentor I could ask for.”

Yeah, he wasn’t ever going to live up to that title. But he’d be damned if he didn’t try. For Peter.

“Love you too, Pete.”


End file.
